Content
by Corsairway
Summary: "Never again," a voice cried out inside of him. He wanted to play. He wanted to win. Most of all he wanted out of the bed and to tell Hinata sorry for causing him any sort of pain. If he had gotten a skull fracture, the first year probably landed just as badly too.
_Crack._

It filled the gymnasium and all other sounds ceased to be except for the songs of the cicadas outside.

On one of the 4 courts laid two people, one had fallen onto the net, their arms entwined with it to prevent their fall to a point. The other laid on the floor, head lopsided and unconscious.

Everything in that moment came to a stop. The practice matches that day had been like all the others on previous days. It had been Karasuno's third match of the day and their first with Nekoma. Since the matches had begun they were actually doing quite well. The synchronization was still shoddy and Kageyama's new tosses still need refinement, but they were holding their own despite the obvious strain to do so. That's when it happened.

Two players jumped at once. In the tension the one player forgot to call out for the ball, for the other it was hard to say. In the end, Hinata and Asahi had crashed into one another like they had done so before. Was it Hinata's greed or Asahi mistake that caused the crash? As they fell it didn't matter.

For a moment no one reacted then everything came crashing down.

 _Crack._

Hinata landed into the net awkwardly, his arms now covered in rug burns. Asahi, unable to stabilize himself in the fall practically landed on his head.

 _Crack._

That sound played over and over again in everyone's mind as the coach of Karasuno, Ukai Keishin ran forward first with Takeda.

"Are you alright Hinata?" Takeda tried to untangle Hinata's arms from the net, "You took a nasty fall there."

"He took at nasty fall?" Lev, the blocker from Nekoma almost laughed. "Look at your ace! Now that's a nasty fall."

The crudeness of his words snapped Hinata out of his confusion and looked behind him as the teacher got one arm free. Coach Ukai was over Asahi, his fingers snapping beside the ace's ears as if to get a response.

"He's out cold. Shimizu," the blonde called out, but she was already on it. She pressed the cell phone to her ear and there was a sense of panic in her eyes.

All Hinata could do in that odd moment was stare at Asahi face.

"It's a open bascal fracture by the looks of it. We won't know for sure unless we get a CT scan. Of course during that we will look for any internal bleeding or other injury..."

The doctor's voice droned on and on to Asahi. He couldn't focus. The woman beside his bed gripped his shoulder harder.

He couldn't remember much of what happened, just waking up briefly and falling back asleep. The only thing that seemed clear to him in that moment amongst the loud ringing in his ears was that he fell. He was sure Hinata fell with him too. No one was telling him anything, not like he could hear it properly anyways.

In the times he had woken up before, the ringing in his ears would make any attempts to understand anything muffled. His mother had tried to speak to him before the doctor had come in, but she soon stopped when she realized he wasn't completely hearing anything.

"...Is there anything I could do in this time," His mother's voice brought him out of his daze for a moment.

"Not at this moment no. We'll keep him here for 2 day, monitor his condition and send him off when need be. All you can do is let us know if you notice anything getting worse. Even something as simple as a headache or even vomiting. With a skull fracture you get symptoms just like a concussed patient would get."

Concussed. The word stung the young man, but gave no signs of it doing so. Instead he kept staring at the end of the bed wondering what the hell had happened.

"Asahi, do you have any-"

"No," his mouth felt like it was full of cotton as he pushed out the word. His mother just watched him, he could feel her worrying gaze.

He looked to the right of him and into her eyes. She seemed so scared. His sister had been concussed before too, if he remember correctly. She had hit her head so hard that she had gone blind for half a day. Kimiko had made jokes about it, yet their mother still looked at her with the same gaze she had now.

He thoughts seemed muddled and instead of thinking about concussion or what was going to happen to his volleyball 'career' now all he could think about was how they furrowed their eyebrows the same way and how it seemed like they had the same eye colour. Stupid little things to focus on, yet comforting in the moment.

"My team... are they here?" The words seemed so hard to push out and he feel them slurring. That caused a slight panic to enter him. Slurring wasn't good.

"Yes, I can send them in if that's okay with the doctor."

"It is ," The man replied with a smile in his voice. "I'm guessing they'll be in uniform?"

"White tee shirts," the words slurred again. He looked forward again, mentally preparing himself for whatever he'd face. Likely it would be sympathy, but still there was a nagging thought of getting scolded by Daichi or having to comfort Hinata.

Then he seemed to blackout again. His eyes were opened, he knew that but everything seemed more blurry and confusing as if darkness had enveloped him despite that fact he could still see light and shapes. Caught in this moment, he seemed to be able to focus once more with a warm touch to his left shoulder.

"You scared us real good Azumane," the voice said. Sugawara's voice. He could recognize that voice anywhere.

Slowly the darkness receded and his vision became more clarified again. The small hospital room seemed crowded with the 11 different players and of course his mother, but it flooded him with warmth. Hinata quickly spoke up.

"I'm so sorry Asahi, I didn't mean to hit-"

"It's okay."

"I mean it."

"My fault too." His voice wavered. Hinata noticed this and worry spread across his face. Not good. the nagging thought was half true it seemed.

"Asahi-"

"Cut it out Hinata," Kageyama snapped at the redhead. "If he says it's okay take it. You're lucky he's forgiving."

"You both need to watch where your going though," Daichi said with a smile. His brow seemed permanently furrowed in worry. "Hinata pay attention and Asahi please call out if you're going to go after the ball. We'll avoid this next time."

"Next time." His mother's voice was quiet. "Asahi, my son I don't think there should be a next time."

"Mom, please."

He thought about how she carried everything upon her shoulders like him and she had always been strong through and through, taking no shit from anyone. Yet in that moment she seemed so tired and weak.

"It's up to you," her voice was still quiet. "But I don't want you to play until the doctor gives the green light."

"Mrs. Azumane," Daichi moved closer to his mother. "I won't let him even come to watch our practices until the doctor says it okay. There's no need to worry."

His words brought a smile to her face. Suga's grip on his shoulder tightened.

His sister was pretty he though distantly. She had come up from Osaka where she was studying and had their mother go back to the hotel she was staying in. He watched as she had told their mom to leave, practically pushing the woman out of the room and had spent the next two hours talking to him, trying to keep him awake.

"So it is a basal fracture huh. Man I remember when I got sent to the hospital for volleyball. Made me quit to be honest."

"I know, how could I forget," He words didn't slur as much anymore yet it was still hard to string words together. He was so tired yet afraid to sleep, not wanting to black out anymore then he did before. 'The nurse told me that these things happen a lot in car accidents."

"No wonder you face looks so shitty," her crudeness brought a smile to both of their faces. "No offence baby brother, but..."

"My face is bruised."

That was an understatement. When the doctor had warned of swelling and bruising after confirming the fracture, Asahi had expect it around where the fracture had been. Turns out it made his eyes look like he'd gotten into a serious fight. He had hoped they would fade away before leaving. If anyone he knew from school saw him like this, the rumours already circulating would get worse.

"You look a bit like a raccoon," Kimiko smiled brightly. "Not to mention you look swollen. Man, I'm so glad all I got was a concussion. You look like you got hit by a car."

As if his sister could finally be able top read people and the atmosphere, she quickly changed the subject to her studies. Despite how much they had in common, their personalities really did change at that one thing. She had talked and acted without second thought it seemed, while he had been always causious and timid, especially when he had been younger. Though it would have been nicer if she had kept making comments about his face. It was easier to drift off when she began talking about her classes and his thoughts kept leading back to what had happened earlier in the day.

Memories were a lot clearer now. Caught in the tense moment, he had gone for the ball without calling out. Mistake number one. Hinata was the same he suppose. Or maybe it was the small decoy trying to prove something else. Knowing Hinata, the first year had probably been in the same boat as Asahi. They bumped into each other, Hinata hitting him in the front and as he fell he had though distantly how he wouldn't be able to stop his fall cleanly. Then...

 _Crack._

Everything went black.

Now he was here for another 32 hours, wondering when he could play again.

His sister had once played volleyball. She had been a wing spiker too. Then she got hit in the face with a ball and fell oddly onto the floor during a match. He had been there with his mother too. She was only out for a second and the blindness was something oddly common as the doctor had told them yet Kimiko stopped playing. She who didn't have his glass heart became afraid of the sport and took up competitive swimming. She eventually got a scholarship because of it.

Now here he was in the almost same position as his sister had been and he wanted nothing more than to play.

Maybe it's because he once tried to give it up. His anxiety had stopped me once from doing something loved.

" _Never again_ ," a voice cried out inside of him.

He wanted to play.

He wanted to win.

Most of all he wanted out of the bed and to tell Hinata sorry for causing him any sort of pain. If he had gotten a skull fracture, the first year probably landed just as badly too.

He thought more aboput what happened as his sister kept droning on. It wasn't Hinata's for what happened fault. Even if it was, Asahi couldn't bring himself to hate or blame the had to keep reminding himself that it wasnt his fault as well. It was an accident on both sides and Asahi couldn't let himself think otherwise else he was sure that could cause tension between the two and thus the entire team. He was, after all prepared to play with Karasuno as quickly as possible.

Desite the heavy thought, he felt almost content in the moment, listening to his sister talk about her classes. For once, he seemed to be overly sure of himself and what he wanted.

Watching matches wasn't as fun as playing them.

A week after the incident, Asahi was almost back to his old self. On the second day of his hospitalization he was sent home. The 4 hour drive back was gruesome and he felt nauseous the entire time (the doctor had warned about that too), but it ended and he got to rest. His father came around the house too. His parents for once got along for once since they had separated. It seemed they could be content with each other in a slight crisis. Kimiko stayed home too fpr a couple of days, she had used a family emergency as her excuse from classes.

That had made him happy.

On the fourth day, he was able to walk without getting dizzy and immediately had Kimiko drive him the high school where the team was know playing.

They had come back from the training week the day before and he had heard how they failed miserably, 63 losses and 3 wins all together. Yet they were happy.

Hinata tried to stay away from Asahi, but the ace wouldn't have that. He had put his hand on the kid's shoulder and told him once again that he didn't blame him. Hinata seemed better after that.

Each night after practice, Suga would walk back with him. Asahi would comment on what he saw during the meeting and Suga would respond with a knowing smile.

Asahi's words only slurred now when he talked for too long and he did so often in Suga's company.

He felt bad for now for all the players who really only sat on the sidelines after several days of doing so himself. To watch what was going on was interesting to say the least, but it wasn't then same as playing. Sugawara had assured him several times on their walks home that it was alright, but he still felt guilt. On the one night when Sugawara had stayed from dinner he had confessed it was hard at times.

"To not play can be frustrating, but you can take advantage of it. I watch for mistakes that can be correct. You know that of course."

He had been referring to the Interhigh-Preliminaries. His watchfulness had been helpful then.

Suga had put his hand on his shoulder then, gripping it hard as if to reassure Asahi that it was alright. Guilt eventually faded away.

There was always more than one way to be useful and Suga, like always found a way.

 _Thwack!_

The feeling of the ball hitting his hand was almost euphoric. It felt like the first toss he had called for so many months ago.

All that was left of his injuries was a slight raise where the skin had broken. There wasn't even any dull throbbing anymore.

Again and again and again Asahi hit every toss given to him. His hand stung and was getting redder and redder with each hit, but he couldn't stop.

Just an hour before he had gotten the green light to play again and he had immediately called Suga.

"You still want to give me a toss, my indomitable setter?"

"You're an idiot Asahi."

The ace had smiled at that. "Is that a yes or..."

"I'm putting my shoes on now. I'll met you at the gym."

Each spike seemed to breath life back into him. It was refreshing to say the least to actually do something rather than watching someone else do it.

"Maybe we should rest a bit," Suga had eventually said after what seemed like a million tosses. "My arms feel like jelly."

"Same," he replied with a slight laugh. They felt sore, but so good.

They sat outside in the catwalk, not talking but silently enjoying each others company. It felt almost odd for both of them. After 3 weeks of talking nonstop on their ways home, they had only spoken twice in the hour or so of practice.

The sky was a dark and enveloped both of them even with the light of the gym shining out from the doors.

"This...this is nice," Suga's voice was soft, velvety almost like the night sky above them.

"You think so?"

"Yeah... You know Ive missed this."

"Missed what," Asahi looked over from the sky to his friend beside him.

"This. Giving you tosses. Actually being alone with you."

"Oho."

The setter gave a small laugh. "Not like that. I mean like back when we were younger."

"I hate to break it to you, but we still are young. We can't vote yet or drink or-"

"Don't ruin the moment you oversized dork," Suga gave a light shove before continuing on. "I mean back when we were first years. We would walk home together from Daichi's."

"After watching all of those volleyball match videos. Those were actually good times." Asahi paused. "I actually looked forward to that, us walking home."

"Really?"

"Really. You use to scare me a bit when we first met. You were so tiny, but you were always ready to fight back. Kind of intimidated me. I know me, the brave heart I am getting scared of something. Unheard of."

Suga laughed. "I'm glad to know I scared you a little. Guess it wouldn't be you if you weren't huh."

"I suppose you're right. I got over it real quick though. You were so unlike Daichi. I know he teases me because he's my friend and honestly I don't mind. You... you're the opposite of him in that you always seemed so welcoming, despite being slightly scary to me. Suga, you were always nice to me though and I appreciate that. I always did like talking to you and I still like talking to you. There's a reason I called you and not anyone else."

Asahi could have sworn that Suga had blushed at that, but the settler had turned his head away from him quickly.

"You're an idiot Asahi. A huge, anxious, nostalgic idiot."

"Thanks-"

"I missed this though. Being together. I missed it when you left after Date Tech and I missed you when you were in the hospital. Even though you were beside me walking home for these past few weeks, I missed you. I missed tossing to you and playing with you, even though I don't get to play official matches with you. I'm glad we've gotten this time together at the same time. Don't take it the wrong way, but I enjoy having you to myself, you just seem like a different more confident you. Like the kind of person you are sometimes around Noya. I don't I'm sorry. I'm rambling. I just-"

"Who's nostalgic now?"

Suga turned his head back to face Asahi, a blush firmly placed on his cheeks.

"Asahi, the moment."

"Couldn't help it, "a smile spread across his face. "I missed this too. I'm almost glad I broke my skull, just to be able to have this back."

"Asahi no."

"Asahi yes."

"Oh god no," he laughed hard, placing a hand onto the ace's right shoulder. He gave a squeeze.

"Suga?"

"Yes."

Asahi place his left hand onto the one on his shoulder and gave a light squeeze. There was a beat, a moment were the words that he wanted to say were forgotten.

"In this moment," a pause and then a soft sigh. "In this moment, I am content."

Suga's face softened then, his eyes unable to break away from the soft brown ones watching him.

"Asahi," his voice came out slightly breathy.

"Yes."

"You..."

"I need words Koushi, not a word."

There was small laugh and wide smile.

"Asahi, you are so gay."

Asahi pulled his hand away, laughing at his friend's blunt words.

"Really you're figuring that now," he laughed with tears in his eyes. "Oh my god and you complained about me ruining the moment!"

Suga let his hand fall from his shoulder, sliding slightly down Asahi's back. He was laughing to, enjoying the moment with him."I'm sorry," he said between laughs, wiping the tears away from his eyes. "It's just... you actually are so gay. If we were in a manga we would have kiss then."

Asahi gave a snort. "Good thing were not then."

"I'm sorry for ruining the moment."

"You should be."

"Shall we go practice a bit more then?"

There was a pause. "Yeah."

He got up off of the ground and turned to give Suga a hand, but the settler sat there for a moment looking up at him.

"Asahi?"

"Yeah?"

"I am content too."

* * *

 ** _AN:_**

 ** _Well its been ages since Ive actually posted any of my fanwork, but man Asasuga is that one otp that I love to death but I never see any of it._**

 ** _Yes, this is only implied, but if this gets good reviews and what not I'll finish up my not so implied thing. Theres a good reason I need good reviews and its I posted this to ao3 last week and took it down in less then 24hrs cause someone said this was painful to read. Ive edited it kind of heavily since then but Im still really scared to post this._**

 ** _I hope you guys liked this and hopefully I'll post more in the future!_**


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